HELOISE: Battered money can be replaced

Dear Heloise: I have some money that was lost in a wallet and has been weathered. I think there are four bills stuck together. How can I get them apart?

Liz, via email

Liz, paper money can get pretty banged up by water or even chemicals. Here are some guidelines from the U.S. Treasury Department for replacing battered bills. First, don’t try to pull them apart!

If you have more than half a bill, a bank or credit union may be able to change it out.

If you have several bills that are stuck together, keep them in the condition in which you found them. If the bills are in a container, keep them there, and don’t try to separate them.

You can mail the mangled money for replacement. Insure the package for the amount you are including, and send it, registered mail with return receipt requested, to: The Bureau of Engraving and Printing, MCD/OFM, BEPA, Room 344A, P.O. Box 37048, Washington, DC 20013. Allow at least eight weeks for processing. Include your name and mailing address! Call toll-free 866-575-2361 for more information.

Heloise

Dear Heloise: You advised a reader (with many VHS tapes) to mail them to the Alternative Community Training organization.

Save money by mailing them via media mail. Many people don’t know that this is an available option at the post office for tapes, magazines or newspapers.

Cathy Pallitto, Newbury Park, Calif.

Cathy, thanks for the hint! Here is the address for those who may have missed it: Alternative Community Training Inc., 2200 Burlington St., Columbia, MO 65202.

Heloise

Dear Heloise: A reader gave suggestions for sending candy to troops to give to the children. When my nephew was stationed in Afghanistan, I went to a local candy company that makes advertising suckers. The company had leftovers, some with mistakes, etc., and when I said what I was doing with them, the company donated them to me to send to him. Others might want to check with candy/sucker manufacturers in their areas.

Linda, Hondo, Texas

Dear Heloise: Most doctors have patients bring a list of medications to the appointment. I came upon the idea of using old plastic gift cards or those with any zero balance. I typed my list of meds in a small but readable font, printed the list and cut it out. I taped it on using clear packing tape and placed my husband’s meds on the opposite side. I also made my husband a card with our info. It is now easier to find and easier to read, and never gets lost.

Renee S., Amarillo, Texas

Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, fax it to 210-HELOISE or e-mail it to Heloise@Heloise.com.

King Features Syndicate